Traffic signal



July 2, 1929. A. o. OLAFSON 1,719,020

TRAFFIC SIGNAL 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1927 Alvin 0 Ola/1307? attain:

Jul 2, 1929. A.0.0I AFSON 1.719.020

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed JUhG 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwve'ntov Alvin 0. Ola/fishnreamed July 2, 1929. I

' UNITED- ST TES PATE T OFFICE.

' ALVIN O. OLAFSON, .OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR; BY {DIRECT AND AMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATIONAL TRAFFIC SIGNAL SOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESO'IA.

COMPANY; on ST. PAUL, MINNE- Y TRAFFIC sxorun Application flled J'une 16,

just when the signal is going to change.

This permits the stop trafiic to know just how soon to get ready to start audit also permits the going trafiic to 'know just how 'fication:

soon to get ready to stop. The means for shutting off the time light will enable the traffic to-know before they get to the sign ]ust about when it is going to say Go or i s p The lifting of the curtain automatically operates the stop and go signal at the top to lowermost position and exposing simultaneously with the curtain reaching the upper position at the moment that the indi ,cating timing light portion of the signal is fully shut off.

'- It 1s also a feature of my invention to'pro vide a means for automatically releasing the curtain member when it reaches. its up ermost extremity permitting'the same to rop the time light indicating means. Mv traflic signal includes means of automatically'operating the stopand 'gofsignalling members by the-operation of the curtain which indicates the. time ofchange of the signal. This is accomplished at the upper position of the curtain which automatically elevatesandrotatesthe stop and go portions of the signal so'that as the curtain drops, and

i 7 stop and go portion of the signal is also antomatically droppedand is adapted to rotate a quartertur'n by engagement of a means to position the stop'and go portions in the respective position to indicate the desired signal, on the respective sides of the signal proper. This is accomplished by a novel means of partial rotation in lifting and the complete quarter rotation inthe signalling element dropping to its normal position.

Y It-is also. a feature of the invention toprovide a simple compact traffic signal having asmall number of parts which are adapted to operate in anefiicient manner, yet being extremely simple in operation and providing i v a'signal device which clearly indicates to the approaching motorist or traffic the approxi- I mate time before the signal will change, a

1927." Serial in 199,276.

Figure 1 is a side view of my signal as it would appear in use.

Figure 2 is a side sectional! same.

' Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of View of the Figure 2 in the direction of thearrow, the

operating motor and belting being shown in full lines,

Figure 4 is a horizontal; section through the frame of my signal.

Figure 5 is a perspectivel of the stop and go frame, showing two of the color sides-removed. I

F igure 6 is a diagrammatic lan view showing the relative position of t e curtain member with the frame of the stop and go member, the. stop and go member being indicated in its normal signalling position.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic View similar to Figure 6 of the curtain sleeve and the signal frame, showing the signal frame partly rotated and by the curtain sleeve in the raisin of the same so that the signal frame will be adapted to rotate a quarter turn on its dropping tonormal position.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the curtain sleeve signalling element.

In the drawings my signal of a tall, slim nature which is readily adapted to be'used in the center of the street or on the corner. The si 'nal being used lnthe center of the street is of such proportion as to permit streetcars to be readily passed by the same in a similar manner as is nowaccomplished with'other-signals of a similar sha e. 1

'I he signal A is provided with a cover member 12. which 'is adapted to fit over the top of the signal and form a closure sons A is of a simple construction havin angle iron corner members 10 and side plates 11 so as to prolvide .a comparatively square signal device to protect the working parts within the same in a suitable manner.

The side plates 11 of the signal A are formed with elongated openings 13 which are adapted to be covered by glass or other suitable transparent or translucent material,-

such as 14. These elongated openin s 13 are adapted toprovide the timing lig t or indicating means of my signal which is adapted to indicate to the traffic just the approximate time of change of the stop and go elements of the signal A.

I provide a signal head portion B on my signal A which is formed by the openings 15 in the plates 11 and which are adapted to be covered by the magnifying lens 16 of any suitable nature so as to magnify the light within the same or to clearly indicate a stop and go wording with the colored light shining through to indicate a red and green color, red for the stop and green for go. It is not necessary that the signal have the wording Stop and Go, as the traffic is now very ac oustomed to the different colors of these lights and are fully aware that green indicates Go and that red indicates Stop. However, if it is desired, the lenses 16 can be of a structure to clearly indicate the words Stop and Go 7 in the signal head B.

WVithin the signal head B I provide a signal frame C which is clearly illustrated in Figure 5, having a skeleton formation with a frame portion 17 adapted to make up the four sides of the frame C and to provide spaces for green and red plates of translucent material. In Figure 5, two of these colored sides are removed so that the green side 18 is indicated on one side of the frame, and the red side 19 is indicated on the other side. The other two sides toward the front have been removed to indicate the frame work-17. The green and red sides 18 and 19 are just the same on the other sides and these ortion's can carry the wording Stop and o, and the openings 15 can be left with clear glass or open so as to indicate the proper signal through the same if it is desired.

The signal frame C is of a very light construction so as to provide a means which may be readily operated requiring only a small amount of power and being quick to operate into the desired positions, At the top of the frame inwardly extending members 20 are adapted to hold a bearing collar 21 which is formed with inclined teeth 22 on the-lower side of the same which are adapted to engage with the teeth 23 of the fixed collar 24 which is supported onthe central or axial shaft 25 extending through the upper portion of the signal A. The lower portion of the frame C is provided with an inwardly extending frame portion 26 which has a central opening 27 through which the shaft 25 extends, and

the opening 27 is adapted to be in line with.

the opening in the collar 21 so as to support the frame C centrally in the casing of the signal A in the head portion B. The operation of the signal head and frame C will be more fully hereinafter described.

I have provided a simple means of supporting a series of light members within my signal and this includes the pipe standard 30 w llCh extends up from the supporting frame 31 projecting upward from within the bottom of the signal A. The li ht standard 30 is provided with a series 0 light brackets 32 adapted to support the lights 33 in line with the openings 13.. Each of the side plates 11 are provided with the openings 13 on each side. so that the four sides of the signal A are provided with timing indicating openings which are adapted to be illuminated by the lights 33 through the lass 14. While I have illustrated several lig ts for the openings 13 it is obvious that this can be varied so that any desirable lighting means may be provided for the same.

The standard 30 is adapted toextend up to the head B and is provided with an offset portion 34 which connects with the shaft 25 which is adapted to form the support for the signal frame C. The portion 25 also being of a hollow nature permits the connection of the lights 35 to the same and these lights are adapted to form the signal lights within the signal frame C.

The lower portion of my signal A is closed by the side plates 11 which form the casing with the angle members 10 and within this portion I provide the frame 31 which projects upward from the operating motor E which is located at the bottom of the signal A concealed within the same and which is ada pted to ope;- ate the operating belt 38. This belt may a chain or an ordinary flexible belt and it is adapted to operate the pulley or sprocket member 39 which is mounted on the shaft 40 carried by the upper end 41 of the frame 31. The pulley 39 is so constructed as to carry a second operating belt or chain 42 which extends up to the head portion B and is adapted to rotate over the sprockets or wheels 43 which are attached to suitable shafts positioned in the casin of the frame A as is clearly indicated in i ligures 2 and 3.

The belt or chain 42 is provided with a series of lifting hooks or members 45 so that in the operation of the motor E the belt 42 will be adapted to operate in a manner to perform the functions of lifting the timing element or curtain F.

The curtain F is formed by a square tubular member of any suitable material and is adapted to be positioned within the casing of the signal A in a manner so as to freely slide up and down in the same. To facilitate this free operation I have provided the curtain F with a series of antifriction rollers 46 located in the corners of the same. These rollers 46 may bear within the corners 47 of the angle members 10 so that the timing sleeve or element F may be freely raised and lowered in the operation of my signal A.

' The timing element or sleeve F is provided with a shoulder bracket 48 located in one corner of the same and in line with the chain or belt 42 and the lifters 45 so that in the operation of the belt or chain 42 the lifters 45 will come in contact with the shoulder bracket 48 to engage the same and cause the timing sleeve to be lifted by the operation of the belt 42 from the lower position as indi-. eated in Figure 3 to the upper position indicated in Figure 2. Figure 1' illustrates the sleeve F partially lifted and shutting off a portion of the openings 13 on all four sides of the signal. This last figure illustrates the sleeve as it would appear from the outside of the signal acting as a curtain to shut off the light through the glass sides 14 and to indicate to the motorist or trafiic that the signal is gradually approaching the period .Of change.

The curtain F is adapted to be lifted to the upper position to entirely shut off the light through the openings 13 when itreaches its uppermost position as indicated in Figure 2, and just at the moment that the sleeve curtain F reaches this position the lifter en-v gaging the shoulder 48 is adapted to dis engage the same in its rotation over one of the wheels 43 and immediately the curtain sleeve F drops to the lower position, whereupon a second shoulder 45 is Virtually ready to engage the shoulder 48 and again start the lifting of the curtain sleeve as before. The curtain F lifts in a gradual movement being timed by the slow or fast operation of the motor E and the motor E is adapted to be regulated by proper rheostat, not illustrated in the drawings, so that on one lift the curtain may operate slow and on the next lift the curtain may operate fast sothat the traffic can be given more time going in one direction than in another, if it is desired.

A suitable cushion dash pot G of any ordinary construction may be positioned in the bottom of the signal A, a portion of the dash pot G being carried by the sleeve F and the other portion being fixed in the bottom of the signal A so that the two parts of the dash pot will come together to cushion t- 1e drop of the curtain F as it is released rom'its upper portion, yet not retarding the dropping I of the curtain to its lower position. This dash pot G may be substituted by any othersuitable means for cushioning the fall or drop of thecurtain F, it being understood that a suitable means of cushioning the cur- .tain be provided in my signal A.

wording, and to accomplish this I provide a spring arm member-'50 which is supported on the inner side of the curtain F and is adapted to extend above the same so that as the curtain F is lifted the upper free edge 51 of the arm 50 will engage with one of the lugs 52 on the bottom of the frame C in a manner so as to lift the frame C as indicated in Figure 2, disengaging the teeth 22 from the teeth 23. This lifting operation is illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 6 and 7. For instance, Figure 6 indicates the normal position of the sleeve F in relation to the signal frame C, while Figure 7 indicates the 1 .it is released from the lifting shoulder 45 which has carried it to its uppermost position, the signal frame C will also drop quickly and as the teeth 22 have been rotated out of previous position with the teeth 23, as the frame C fallsback into normal position the teeth 22 will engage in an advanced position with the inclined teeth 23 completing the quarter turn rotation of the signal frame C. This automatically operates the change of the signal frame C in the head Bof the signal A so as to'change the signal from stop to go on the respective sides.

The simplicity of the signal A is also apparent in that the curtain F is of a hollow type and may be made of aluminum or other lightmaterial or even flexible material if it is desired with a skeleton frame and the curtain is adapted to extend about the inner working parts of the signal A. This permits the parts to be easily accessible either by raising or lowering the curt'ain and also permits of making a compact structure giving a narrow, thin signal.

In the manner described, the signal A operates in asimple way toindicate to the approaching motorist or the pedestrian ap-. proximately when the signal is going to change and instead of being unaware of the soon changeof the signal the pedestrian as well as the motorist, is at all times fully advised with the signal A by the curtain F just how soon the signal is going to change. This is a marked advantage over old forms of signals where it is impossible to know how soon the go signal is going to change to stop, or the stop to go, excepting by .a small signal light as some signals are provided with which may be flashed on momentarily before the sig nal changes. These old forms of signals are (objectionable because the change signal lights are not always working, and even though they are working. the pedestrian or the motorist has no idea before these signal lights come A on, how soon they are going to come on or how soon the signal is going to change. With my signal this is entirely overcome as I provide the curtain F which, for example, indicates clearly how soon the signal is going to change by its continual moving to gradually shut d the light from the openings 13. For instance, if the curtain F is in the position indicated in Figure l which is approximately one third up the opening 13,7'then the pedestrian and the motorist know that the curtain must travel two-thirds more up the signal before the signal head B will change the traffic. This is a material advantage to the motorist driving up to the signal from a distance because evenat a distance the motorist will be able to clearly see approximately how 1 soon a change will take place'in the signal the same is only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention and that the same may be varied or changedwithin the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. A traflic signal including, a signaling head, and means for indicating the change of said signal by a curtain which graduall shuts oii of a lighted portion of said signa 2. A trafiic signal including, a signaling v means to indicate the direction of travel of tra-fiic past the same, and timed means including a moving member. adapted to indicate the approximate time of change of said traffic signal portion of said signal byshutting off the light from a lighted panel.

3. A tralfic signal including, means for indicating the direction of traific, means for changing said tra-flic signal means, a lighted panel and means including a shutter for indicating the approximate time of change of said trafiic si al means by shutting off the light i from sai lighted panel.

4. A traflic signal including, means adapted to indicate thedirection of traflic, and

' timed means adapted to move toward and operate said traflic signaling means to indicate the change of trafiic at the moment said timed means reaches'a point adjacent said traili'c si aling means.

5. A signal adapted to indicate to destrains and motorists the approximate c ange of direction of trafiic including a. casing, a signal for. stpp and 0, and a timed cur-tam means moving insald casin adapted to indicate at all times the approxlmate time before said trafiic signal meanswill chan 6. A, signal for indicatingthe irectionpf the trafiic for pedestrians and motorists n cludinga casing, a timed signal curtain, light openings in said casing, means for operating said curtain to gradually shut off said light openings, and a direction trafiic signal operatedby said curtain to change the direction of trafiic.

7. A signal for indicating the direction of trafiic comprising a casing, light openings formed in said casing visible from different directions, a trafiic signal in said casing, and means for gradually and continuously shuttin off said light openings to indicate to the traflic signal means within said signal.

8. A trafiic signal including a direction signal means, and means adapted to be elevated gradually within said signal to indicate the changing of said trafiic means and adapted to operate said direction signal means.

9. A trafiic signal including, a standard trafiic the approximate time of change of said in the form of a hollow -casing,.light passageways formed in the sides of said standard, a traffic signal within said standard, and means within said standard adapted to gradually and continously shut off said light passageways to indicate the change of said trafiic signal means therein.

10. A trafiic signal including a signal casing, a trafiic signal frame rotatably mounted within said casing, said signal frame being adapted toindicate the direction of trafiic, and means including a curtain adapted to indicate the approximate time of change of said traflic signal means and means operated by said curtain adapted to automatically change said trafiic signal means.

11. A trafiic si al including, a casing, a signal curtain wit in said casing, ameans for operating said curtain, light passageways adapted to be shut off by said curtain, and traflic signal means in said casing operated by said curtain automatically to change the same. v

12. A traflic signal including, a casing, a series of openings formed in said casing, lights illuminating said openings, a directional traflic signal means, and a curtain for closing said openings, said curtain having means for operating said directional traffic signal.

13. A traflic signal including, a casing, a signaling means rotatably mounted within said casing to indicate the stop and go of trafe fie, a series of illuminated openings formed in said casing, a curtain adapted to gradually screen said openings, and means for operating said curtain to cause the same to move gradually in the screening off of said openings in, said casing indicating the time of change of said stop and go means, said curtain operating means permitting the curtain to move rapidly to expose the openings in said casing.

14. A traflie signal including a casing, means to indicate stop and go traflic, indicating openings in said casing to indicate the change of said traffic signal means, and screen means for closing said indicating openings graduallyin one direction to indicatea change in said'stop. and go signal and practically instantaneously openingsaid openings after they have been closed ofi.

15. A signal including, means to indicate stop and go for traflic, and means operable by slow movement in one direction and practically instantaneously in the other direction 1 to indicate the change of said stopancl g0 means of said signal.

ALVIN o. OLAFSON. 

